Shuttle XPC SZ170R8 V2: Small but Powerful

Compact, efficient and incredibly powerful if you spring for the right parts, the Shuttle XPS SZ170R8 V2 has a lot going for it. The small form factor of the motherboard does not take away from its power. Even better is its capability as a portable machine.

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The live-action adaptation project for Ritz Kobayashi’s Mahjong manga is in full swing, and we are getting two new trailer s, which gives us new details on the project’s upcoming live-action film. The first video is the 60-second version, while the second video is the shorter 30-second version. According to the videos, the film is slated...

Now granted, ZTE is no stranger to the mobile business stateside, recently snatching the fifth place in smartphone sales. But try to find one of their proudest high-enders, with specs and features from this decade, on Uncle Sam’s turf and you’ll fail miserably.

Enter Amazon “and other channels” and wham bam thank you ma’am, here are your desired Grand S and Nubia 5 without having to go through the hassle of international retailers, customs and so on. Or, you know, here they are starting October 16, when the two phones will actually go up for grabs in unlocked, SIM-free flavors.

The thing you have to understand before anything though is the duo is (no longer) the cream of the crop. Some would even call it mid-range, albeit I for one wouldn’t go so far. Bottom line, don’t expect to score a Galaxy S4 killer with ZTE’s logo on it… just yet, but more like a poor man’s flagship.

The Grand S, which is set to cost $400, is the more fashionable of the two, measuring an incredibly slim 6.9 mm in thickness. That anorexic figure sadly comes with a few downsides, namely a 1,780 mAh battery that’s not quite up to the task of handling the quad-core Snapdragon S4 Pro CPU and 2 gigs of RAM beneath the hood of the Grand S. Or the 5-inch Full HD screen.

Meanwhile, the Nubia 5, which is technically not the same thing as the international Nubia Z5, ups the battery ante to 2,300 mAh, as well as the pricing to $450. Most of the other features are identical to the Grand S, including the panel, processor, RAM, 13 MP rear camera and on-board Android 4.1 Jelly Bean. Any takers?